Walla Walla Pride
Our Journey
Since 2013, our organization has worked to cultivate a vibrant, inclusive community in the Walla Walla Valley. Our history is marked by grassroots advocacy, a commitment to visibility, and a steady evolution toward long-term sustainability.
2013 – 2016: Foundations & Partnerships
2013: Community Pride Walla Walla was officially formed. We established our core mission and began a decade of collaboration with local partners like PFLAG and the Walla Walla Diversity Coalition.
2016: The community intensified its organizing efforts across the Valley, bolstered by our first grant from the Pride Foundation.
2017 – 2019: Cultivating Connection & Visibility
2017: A landmark year that saw the launch of “Queer Cheer,” our longest-running community event. We also introduced the Queer Volunteer Corp, organized local drag extravaganzas, and hosted the inaugural Pride Carnival.
2018: Visibility moved to the forefront with a Pride March in Downtown Walla Walla, followed by a community-wide Pride Dance Party and social potlucks to strengthen local bonds.
2021 – 2025: Resilience & Formalization
2021: Following the challenges of the pandemic and the loss of nearly all queer programs in the Valley, we successfully relaunched Queer Cheer, rebranded as Walla Walla Pride, and celebrated a major milestone: the first annual Walla Walla Pride Festival.
2024 – 2025: Recognizing the need for a permanent presence, we began the strategic transition toward nonprofit status. This period of planning and community meetings has laid the groundwork for our future growth and impact.
2026 & Beyond: Planning for Success
To bring our vision to life, Walla Walla Pride is choosing to focus on three key areas of growth:
Sustainable Infrastructure: Transitioning from a volunteer-led committee to a robust 501(c)(3) nonprofit to ensure the longevity of our programs and the ability to secure diversified funding.
Consistent Connection: Expanding on the success of “Queer Cheer” and our annual Pride Festival to provide year-round social support and networking opportunities for all ages.
Regional Advocacy: Strengthening our role as a community leader in the Walla Walla Valley by building partnerships with local businesses, civic leaders, and fellow service organizations.
Mission and Values
Walla Walla Pride’s mission is to cultivate a safe, inclusive, and empowering environment for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Our vision is to be the leading voice for LGBTQ+ visibility and celebration in the Walla Walla Valley, ensuring a future where diversity is not only accepted but also championed.
At Walla Walla Pride, we value:
Intersectional Equity
We recognize that LGBTQ+ individuals hold multiple identities—including race, ethnicity, disability, and class. We do not view queer liberation in a vacuum; instead, we work to dismantle the unique and overlapping systems of oppression that affect the most marginalized members of our community.
Radical Authenticity
We believe that “coming out” is a lifelong journey of self-discovery. We cultivate an environment where everyone is encouraged to show up as their full, unfiltered selves. By honoring individual truths, we create a culture of honesty, vulnerability, and mutual respect.
Collective Resilience
Our community is built on a history of strength and mutual aid. We commit to supporting one another through challenges, celebrating our shared victories, and ensuring that no one has to navigate their journey alone. We turn our shared history into a foundation for a sustainable future.
Unapologetic Joy
While we acknowledge the hardships our community faces, we refuse to be defined solely by them. We prioritize “Queer Joy” as a form of resistance—celebrating our creativity, our love, and our triumphs as essential components of our collective well-being.
Meet the Team
Board Members
Jeremy Mendanhall
He/Him
Administrative Chair
Bio
Before joining the Walla Walla Pride board, Jeremy Mendenhall spent the last six years actively connecting and growing the queer community of the Walla Walla Valley. With a background as an LGBTQIA+ coordinator in higher education and a culinary passion for respectfully and authentically creating diverse meals from around the world to share with students, Jeremy is passionate about creating an inclusive environment where all people can be seen, valued, and can thrive. Aside from his nonprofit work, you are likely to find Jeremy nerding out with friends in a game of DnD or sharing his love of off-the-wall A24 films with random strangers. If you have a question, need some help, or want to share your thoughts on how we can grow and serve our community, feel free to reach out to Jeremy Mendenhall at [email protected]
Stephine Smith
She/They
Administrative Vice Chair
Bio
Stephanie Smith has called Walla Walla home since she was a kid. Pursuing a career in design and technology took her away from the valley for several years, but in 2023 she returned home. Inspired by the Walla Walla Pride Festival’s vibrant sense of community, she got involved with Walla Walla Pride, coordinating the marketing and design efforts for the 2025 festival.
Driven by a lifelong love for her hometown, Stephanie is dedicated to fostering inclusive, caring spaces where everyone feels they belong. Professionally, she works as a software engineer in the food sustainability sector. Stephanie lives in College Place with her wife and cat, and when she isn’t coding or volunteering, she can be found running, exploring the outdoors, or enjoying the local food scene.
Stephanie is honored to serve Walla Walla’s LGBTQ+ community!
Nathan Hays
He/Him
Secretary
Bio
Nathan Hays is an active member of the Walla Walla Pride community. He’s been helping out in the local pride community for several years now. He has been working at the sustainable living center as part of the builders’ resupply team. Nathan is passionate about all kinds of games, from board, card, and video.
Rob Wohr
He/Him
Treasurer
Bio
Rob Wohr is the Treasurer of Walla Walla Pride and a longtime advocate for LGBTQIA2S+ inclusion and visibility. After moving to Walla Walla in 2019 to study Enology and Viticulture, he quickly became an engaged member of the community. Rob is an experienced operations and planning executive and the co-owner and Winemaker of TruthTeller Winery, as well as co-owner of Cold Creek Vintage Venue. On the board, he strengthened financial stewardship and led the development of Articles of Incorporation and bylaws that established Walla Walla Pride as a Washington State nonprofit. Rob lives in Walla Walla with his husband, John.
Jaqui Saldaña
She/They
Bio
My name is Jaqui, and I’m so excited to be one of the new board members for Walla Walla Pride.
Outside of being a board member I work directly with LGBTQ+ youth in my role as the Triple Point Specialist in Akin, this program provides a safe space where youth can connect, grow, and feel supported. As a queer person of color raised in Walla Walla, I am deeply passionate about ensuring that the LGBTQ+ community in Walla Walla has access to resources and support.
I am excited to serve Walla Walla Pride in uplifting our community together.
Kel Fern
They/Them
Bio
Kel Fern is an organizer, designer, and budding web nerd originally hailing from New Zealand, as well as a bunch of places in the U.S.A. (over 10 states and counting!). Their work with Walla Walla Pride involves working on the organization’s website, creating graphics/layouts for the group, and hosting events such as LGBTea and Coffee: Walla Walla.
As a community organizer, Kel loves creating networks of support through the events they help host as well as through the personal connections they make in the community.
When they’re not working away at the website, you’ll likely find Kel playing games like Go, Chess, or Root (poorly) with friends, deep-diving into some new creative pursuit, or taking care of their fish and plants.
If you happen to come across any problems, broken links, or other strange and/or unusual issues with the website, please let Kel know via the link below. They would super appreciate it!
Nora Marie
She/Her
Bio
Nora Marie loves making things happen and is excited to bring that energy to the Board of Walla Walla Pride. With a background in tech and extensive volunteer leadership across organizations like The Little Theatre of Walla Walla, Walla Walla Activism Network, and Blue Mountain Evening Rotary, she has shaped strategic plans, events, and club operations. She is passionate about serving the community and believes in meeting people where they are. When she is not in the boardroom, you’ll find her playing tabletop RPGs, devouring books, and testing her skills as a self-proclaimed “expert crafter”. Nora is always happy to talk community, share ideas, or even discuss the latest book she can’t seem to put down.
Orlando Treviño
He/Him
Bio
Orlando Alvarado-Treviño is a proud Mexican-American who is born and raised in Walla Walla, Washington. As the owner of a hair studio that’s both queer-run and queer-owned, Orlando has always been dedicated to spreading diversity, inclusivity, and creativity in their life and work. Orlando boasts a rich history of community engagement, having consistently supported numerous local organizations. It is now honored to serve on the board of a newly established local LGBTQIA+ nonprofit. This is Orlando’s first board position, and they’re excited to bring their passion and experience to help the community thrive.
Sharon Sweeny
She/Her
Bio
Sharon Sweeney is a committed community volunteer with a diverse professional background in hospitality, event planning, and design.
She holds a B.S. in Recreation and Leisure Studies from San José State University. Sharon spent many years with Marriott Hotels, traveling nationwide to open new properties and manage corporate events.
For 8 years, she owned and operated Urban Home Furnishings, a contemporary furniture store which also offered her clients design services. She has a keen eye for creating harmonious interiors.
As a community leader, she was instrumental in developing ArtHop, in Fresno, CA, a First Friday community art-walk program. She was also a co-creator of the Reel Pride Film Festival in Fresno, focused on LGBTQ+ film and storytelling. Since moving to Walla Walla in 2023, she has volunteered with the Gesa Power House Theatre, the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival, the Walla Walla Democrats, and she serves on the board of the Network of Exceptional Women.
In her spare time, Sharon enjoys cooking, entertaining, art, traveling, and bicycling around Walla Walla. She and her dog, Hillary—an enthusiastic pugzu—are excited to be part of the Walla Walla community. She looks forward to contributing wherever she can.
Thomas Elliott Jr.
He/Him
Bio
Thomas is an accountant, small business owner, and community volunteer who has proudly called Walla Walla home since 2020. Originally from Maryland, and now calls Walla Walla home, where he and his husband Pascal have found a deeply welcoming and vibrant community.
Thomas is the co-founder of EFC Consulting LLC, where he provides bookkeeping services while Pascal manages short and long-term properties. In addition to his professional work, Thomas is actively involved in the wine community. He works weekends at a local winery and began his wine industry journey volunteering with Vital Winery in 2021. He also volunteers when possible at the Gesa Power House Theatre.
Outside of work and volunteering, Thomas enjoys traveling, bicycling, learning Spanish, and spending time with his two cats, Shadow and Leif—who couldn’t be more different from each other. He is excited to join the board and looks forward to helping organize future Pride celebrations that reflect the inclusivity, joy, and strength of the local LGBTQ+ community in Walla Walla.